Hygiene In The 15th And 16th Century

Throughout the span of the 15th and 16th century, it is no secret that the arts, architecture, philosophy, and wars were important parts of history. One topic that is not widely talked about among European history is the importance of beauty, hygiene, and appearance standards “They were of course limited by the technology of the time and the challenges associated with disposing of the sewage and rubbish of a growing population but this does not mean that they did not try to keep themselves and their houses clean” (Tudor). There are many aspects of hygiene and appearance that were practiced in the past, but have now been changed to fit the social norms of today. Beauty and hygiene standards of today have changed and evolved compared to those
“According to one medical treaty of the 16th century, “Water baths warm the body, but weaken the organism and widen pores. That is why they can be dangerous and cause different diseases, even death”” (Julia). Contrasting to the 21st century, it is a social conformity to bathe regularly. However, there is still a trend of using perfume in current day, similar to the use of it in the 15th and 16th century “A new fear of water gave rise to substitutes such as powder and perfume, which in turn created a new basis for social distinction”
Cross-dressing, for example, was universally condemned- a fact that did not prevent women from repeatedly affecting articles of male costume, much to the horror of their contemporaries” (Matthews-Grieco). Opposite of the Middle Ages, it is seen that the practice of cross-dressing is more socially accepted based on a more liberal society that is evident in 2017. However, even though cross-dressing is more accepted now than how it was once perceived, people still have a a few reservations about it. “Nowadays, the gender binary is becoming less and less relevant, but nonetheless, many of us shy away from cross-gender dressing”